Aside from the obvious fact that Paris, France, and Washington, D.C. are capital cities, there is a lot that both cities have in common that you might not have realized! The two cities are rich with their unique histories and brimming with political power and cultural influence, and are almost the same when you break them down to what they have to offer!
Don’t believe us yet? Well, hear us out first and maybe we can change your mind!
1. Its biggest landmark is in a huge green strip of public park space along the river, just steps from a major government building
It doesn’t take much to compare the visual of the Washington Monument to the Eiffel Tower, we admit that it might be a bit of a stretch, but close your eyes and picture this –
There is a massive open green park space along the river that runs through the capital city, the centerpiece of this park is the city’s tallest monument, and just a few paces away is one of the most important political buildings in the country.
Was that Washington, D.C.? Was that Paris? Well, the reality is that it’s both, The Eiffel Tower is the centerpiece of the Champ de Mars in Paris, the same way that the Washington Monument is the centerpiece of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., not to mention that France’s Palais Bourbon (it’s most important political building is just blocks away) just like the Capitol is just paces away from its biggest and most iconic monument.
2. Famously bad traffic
It’s no secret that Washington D.C. has some of the worst traffic in America, even ranking as the fifth worst traffic in North America, but if you aren’t aware, Paris’s traffic is even worse!
The same study that ranked D.C. traffic as one of the worst cities for traffic in the United States, ranked Paris as having the 16th worst traffic in the world, whereas D.C. ranked as having the world’s 55th worst traffic.
3. Capital city split by a river
While this may not exactly be conclusive evidence, Washington, D.C., and Paris both happen to be capital cities built along a major river, in the case of D.C. it’s the Potomac River, whereas in Paris the name of the river is the Seine. You might say that almost every capital city has a river and we won’t tell you that’s wrong, but we’re not talking about every capital city, we’re just talking about Washington and Paris.
4. Cultural centers famous for their museums
While most major cities have notable museums, Paris and Washington, D.C. each have one of, if not the most important museums on their respective continent. In Washington, D.C. the Smithsonian Institution is a network of several museums that contain some of the most important exhibits worldwide and some of the most notable pieces of art in North America, while in Paris, the Louvre is one of the most iconic and famous museums in Europe!
5. The massive Gothic cathedral in the middle of the city
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Okay, we might piss off a few people by calling the Notre Dame ‘just some massive gothic cathedral’, but we think you get the idea.
We’re not sure if it is a stretch or just downright blasphemous to make the comparison honestly, but the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. was designed in the Gothic Revival style and built in the 20th century using classic European Gothic architecture, such as the Notre Dame, as inspiration.
So it doesn’t take much to look at them both and see how the design of Notre Dame influenced the design of the National Cathedral and even how some unique features and design elements seem consistent across the two cathedrals.
6. You can dine at Le Diplomate
If you thought we would talk about Washington being similar to Paris and that we wouldn’t bring up Le Diplomate as a cornerstone for our argument, you would be mistaken. While you obviously won’t have a hard time finding authentic French food in Paris, that doesn’t mean you can’t find it here!
Fortunately for us, our favorite version of Le Diplomate happens to be in Logan Circle, so we can get a taste of Paris without needing to venture far.
7. You can get authentic French macarons and pastries at Ladurée
One of the world’s most renowned French pastry shops, with locations on some of Paris’s most famous streets, can also be found in Georgetown!
The iconic pastry shop brand, which first started over 150 years ago, is well known for offering delicate and authentic French sweets, particularly their macarons, but fortunately for us here in Washington, D.C., you don’t need to pay for a flight to try them.